Mapping the New Knowledges — the little conference that grew

Faculty of Graduate Studies

Mapping the New Knowledges — the little conference that grew

Mapping the New Knowledges began in 2005/06 as a simple annual graduate student-oriented research conference at Brock University. It has evolved into a multi-pronged mechanism for the development and enhancement of a strong graduate culture at Brock University.

The title of the conference, and the pluralization of the word “knowledges,” signal that new knowledge takes many forms, depending upon the theories and methodologies holding sway in different disciplines and different kinds of Faculties. It reflects the active research programs that involve graduate students across all six of Brock’s academic Faculties.

The conference has served, through the development of a large and integrated set of activities, to pull together graduate students in ways that:

ensure their integration into the University as a whole on the basis of their research productivity

create profile for them in the larger community beyond Brock through presentation vehicles that bring their work to the attention of the general public

link them to other graduate students and to the rich array of institutional supports and opportunities available to Brock’s graduate students

encourage them to demonstrate excellence in their pursuit of research, scholarship and professional goals

Mapping is a quintessential “little conference that grew.” Its year-round series of events and related activities create a sense of coherence and a means for sharing vital information among our well-distributed graduate student population. Mapping represents the ideal of community within the graduate sector at Brock.

As the multidisciplinary nexus, Mapping is central to the University’s declared vision and contributes to the crossing of disciplinary boundaries for faculty and students on many levels each year.

It’s tremendous to see, year to year, the lasting impact that the conference activities have on the research lives of our graduate students as it leads them to connect with each other in very dynamic ways as researchers and scholars.

We invite you to experience that impact this year and participate in our 2011-12 conference events. Be part of our proud tradition of mapping Brock’s new knowledges.

Mike Plyley, Dean, Faculty of Graduate Studies

"It’s tremendous to see, year to year, the lasting impact that the conference activities have on the research lives of our graduate students as it leads them to connect with each other in very dynamic ways as researchers and scholars."